Dean lays out education plans for coming year

By MICHAEL CASS • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • September 8, 2008 Mayor Karl Dean put forward a five-tiered approach to improving Metro schools in a speech this afternoon. Dean told the Rotary Club of Nashville that his focus will be on student engagement; teacher recruitment and development; expanding job opportunities for students; increasing school choice, and transforming existing schools by developing "smaller learning communities." "Improving schools can no longer wait," Dean said in a speech to mark the end of his first year in office. He was inaugurated on Sept. 21, 2007.

Teen hospitalized after ingesting unknown liquid

WKRN Channel 2 Sep 8, 2008 01:37 PM CDT A 16-year-old junior at Antioch High School in Nashville was transported to the hospital Monday after ingesting what police are calling a "liquid intoxicant." Police said the student vomited during class and had slow cognitive functions but did not loose consciousness. The student told police he bought the liquid from a fellow student in the parking lot before the start of school Monday. He was unable to give the seller's name. Police said an investigation is underway. Last Wednesday, a 17-year-old McGavock High School student was rushed to the hospital after ingesting a liquid believed to have affects similar to the drug Ecstasy. The previous Friday two teens became ill at the Maury County Fair after ingesting what is believed to be a similar liquid. The liquid is thought to be homemade and contain butanediol. Side effects of the drug can include red, puffy or blotchy skin, especially around the face. Police have not said whether the Antioch student ingested a similar liquid.

Briefs: Music City Star will run on Titans game days

Music City Star Game Day Express tickets are now available for special trains in September that will run on dates the Tennessee Titans play home football games. FiftyForward Donelson Station and Donelson-Hermitage Chamber of Commerce are among those selling tickets. Tickets are also available at the Riverfront Station 6:30-9 a.m. and 3:30-6 p.m. weekdays. They can be purchased online at www.MusicCityStar.com. Tickets are $15 a person roundtrip and $20 a person on game day. Regular Music City Star tickets are not valid for the Game Day Express. The train will leave Lebanon at 10 a.m., the Martha station at 10:15 a.m., Mt. Juliet 10:25 a.m., Hermitage 10:35 a.m. and Donelson 10:50 a.m. and arrive at Riverfront Station at 11:05 a.m. The train will leave Riverfront Station 45 minutes after the game concludes

Cancer seminar scheduled at Vanderbilt

The Colon Cancer Alliance and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center will conduct "Conversations About Colo rectal Cancer" at 9 a.m. Sept. 20 at the Vanderbilt University Student Life Center, 310 25th Ave. S. The educational seminar will teach patients how to initiate and maintain an open dialogue with their doctors, as well as present information and options on treatment strategies. All colorectal cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, family and friends are invited to attend. Nurses and other health-care professionals are also encouraged to attend. To register for the Nashville seminar, call 1-877-422-2030 or complete the online registration form at www.ccalliance.org. — ANGELA PATTERSON apatterson@tennessean.com

Judge rules to keep English-only measure off ballot

By JANELL ROSS • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • September 4, 2008 Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman has just ruled that the English-only proposal can not appear on Davidson County ballots Nov.4. The judge's ruling affirmed the Davidson County Election Commission's 3-2 decision last week to leave the measure off the ballot because Metro Legal advised the commission that the Metro charter forbids more than one petition-driven referendum in a two-year period. A measure that ultimately gave Davidson County voters some control over tax increases appeared on a Davidson County ballot in Nov. 7, 2006.The commission did, however, certify that the English-only measure had received the necessary 10,103 registered voter signatures to be eligible to appear on the ballot. Last week, Councilman Eric Crafton and a group known as Nashville English First, the driving forces behind the measure, filed suit against the commission seeking to overrule its reading of the Metro Charter.Crafton indicated Thursday that he intended to appeal Bonnyman's ruling.

Judge: English-only proposal will not be on November ballot

A proposal to make English the official language of Nashville will not be on the November ballot, a Davidson County judge ruled this evening.

McGavock student hospitalized after ingesting liquid drug

WKRN Channel 2 A McGavock High School student is recovering after ingesting a liquid believed to have similar affects of Ecstasy. Police said Shayne Colvin, 17, got the drug from a classmate at school Wednesday morning. Unresponsive, Colvin was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center and placed in intensive care. His mother, Lisa Swiderski, received a call from the school around 9 a.m. Wednesday about what had happened. Swiderski blames what she terms a "drug culture" at McGavock High School for the reason her son is in the hospital. Swiderski admits this isn't her son's first experience with drugs. "We found marijuana in his books, in his room, different places stashed in his room. I say, ‘where are you getting this from?' He says, ‘you can ask anybody. You can get drugs in between classes.'" Swiderski said she is against drug use. "We don't do drugs at home. I'm dead set against drugs. We don't even drink at our home. We have no liquor in our home," she told News 2. "It can happen to any family. Nobody is excluded." She also said that Wednesday wasn't her first contact with school officials about drugs. Each time she says they say, "We'll take care of it," but it never gets resolved. "Is it going to take a death of a child for somebody to finally get around to doing something about it?" Swiderski asked. Charges against the classmate who supplied the liquid are pending an analyst of the liquid. The student has been suspended from school. The drug Colvin ingested is a clear liquid drug that is believed to be a designer drug similar to Ecstasy. The main ingredient is Butanediol and it is homemade. Side effects can be red or puffy, blotchy skin, especially around the face.

English-Only Hearing on September 4, 2008

On Thursday, September 4, 2008 at 1:30 pm (that's tomorrow folks!) in Chancery Court I, 4th floor of the Metro Courthouse, 1 Public Square, there will be a hearing before Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman. The proponents of the proposed "English Only" referendum filed a law sue in chancery court after the Davidson County Election Commission voted 3-2 not to place the "English-Only" resolution on the 2008 November ballot. First come, first served for seating in the court room. Thanks, Vivian

Should you pay for public records? If so, how much?

That is what is being considered by the Office of Open Records Counsel (OORC), in conjunction with the Advisory Committee on Open Government (ACOG). The announcement clear in regards to details. Here is a chance for your voice to be heard regarding what is reasonable charges for copies of public records, as well as the policy related to charges for frequent and multiple requests. Vivian REMINDER WHAT: Public Hearing on the Proposed Fee Schedule for Public Records Requests WHEN: Friday, September 5, 2008 WHAT DO I DO? 1. Please read the press release and proposed fee schedule and policy below. 2. Testifying: If you have concerns and would like to testify in person, please contact John Holloway of the TML staff immediately at jholloway@tml1.org or 615-255-6416 to ensure your place on the agenda. 3. Written Comments: If you are unable to attend the hearing in person, you may submit written comments via email to open.records@state.tn.us or to the Office of Open Records Counsel at 505 Deadrick Street, James K. Polk Building, Suite 1700, Nashville, TN 37243, before the close of business on Friday, September 5. Any written comments received after September 5 will not be considered. NOTE: As a member of the Advisory Committee, TML will not be testifying. Therefore, it is incumbent upon each municipality to ensure its concerns are considered. Previous Release: On September 5, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. CST, in Room 16 of Legislative Plaza, 6th Avenue, in downtown Nashville, the Office of Open Records Counsel (OORC), in conjunction with the Advisory Committee on Open Government (ACOG), will hold a public hearing to seek input regarding charges for duplication of public records. The purpose of the hearing is to give both Tennessee records custodians and citizens an opportunity to comment on factors to be considered by the OORC and the ACOG when developing the schedule of reasonable charges for copies of public records, as well as the policy related to charges for frequent and multiple requests. Both oral and written comments, limited to the fees proposed in the Schedule and Policy Comment Form (click here to access the Schedule and Policy Form), may be submitted. It is imperative that municipalities that have objections or input participate in this hearing. Municipalities that wish to comment at the hearing must contact TML (jholloway@tml1.org ) prior to Thursday, September 4, 2008, so that we can make sure you are included on the schedule. Each participant commenting will be limited to three (3) minutes. Written comments for consideration at the hearing must be received by the OORC before the close of business on Wednesday, September 3, 2008, and may be submitted by email to open.records@state.tn.us or delivered to OORC at 505 Deaderick Street, James K. Polk Bldg., Suite 1700, Nashville, TN 37243. Please copy TML on any written comments at jholloway@tml1.org or 226 Capitol Boulevard, Suite 710, Nashville, TN 37219. Visitors to the Legislative Plaza are required to pass through a metal detector and must present photo identification. Individuals with disabilities who wish to participate in this meeting should contact the OORC to discuss any auxiliary aids or services needed to facilitate such participation as soon as possible to allow time to provide such aid or service. Tennessee Municipal League 226 Capital Boulevard Nashville, TN 37219

Area could use health clinic, team concludes

Leadership Donelson-Hermitage group looked at feasibility of free or low-cost services By ANDY HUMBLES • Staff Writer • September 3, 2008 When Tom Ozburn was chief operating officer at Summit Medical Center, he saw too many people using the emergency room as a primary care office. So as a member of Leadership Donelson-Hermitage, he proposed that his team research the feasibility of a free or low-cost health clinic for the community. Ozburn couldn't continue with the project because of a job change; he became chief executive officer at Southern Hills Medical Center. But Team Hands On continued to pursue the concept and provided a business plan to the Leadership Donelson-Hermitage board before graduation. Team investigated concept The project team was one of three making up the 10th class for Leadership Donelson-Hermitage. Every year the new members are broken up into teams to perform a service project that leads to graduation. "Our conclusion was there is a need for something like that in the community,'' said team member Susan Sizemore. "A lot of people said, 'Boy, that would be a big help.' '' Team Hands On met with health-care personnel and providers and visited free clinics. The team also studied statistical data of the Donelson-Hermitage, Old Hickory and West Wilson County area, such as numbers of low or uninsured people and the indigent population. Staffing and space needs, legal requirements, and startup and land costs in the Donelson-Hermitage area were all considered, as were ongoing costs of the operation. Free and low-cost clinics generally rely on nurses and doctors willing to donate time, corporate and private donations, fundraising drives and events. The team's business plan allowed for one paid executive director at about $45,000 a year. The plan also cited a need for a co-payment based on a sliding scale according to income for services that ranged from $10 to $40. Agencies can check out plan A clinic would not be a project taken on by Leadership Donelson-Hermitage, executive director Deann Bradford said. But the business plans are available for interested organizations. "The biggest obstacle would be money,'' Bradford said. "If a church or organization that already has property did it, then they could incorporate it with what they do.'' At least one church has shown an interest in developing the idea, but Bradford wouldn't name it. Ozburn's role turned out to be more limited with his move to Southern Hills effective near the start of 2008. He was at Summit about 2½ years. He believes people in need of health care but without adequate insurance often eventually go to a hospital for treatment with more problems than if they were receiving frequent primary care on the front end. "A lot of people use ER as a primary care office because they don't have any other avenue, and that is the most expensive way to receive health care,'' Ozburn said. "These patients will be cared for one way or another. Either on the front end, or the back end when they enter the facility very sick and ill." For information visit www.leadershipdh.com. Contact Andy Humbles by telephone at 726-5939 or by e-mail at ahumbles@tennessean.com.

Parents encouraged to get DNA kits for their children Saturday

Free child safety event blends fun with advice Brentwood Journal news reports • September 3, 2008 BRENTWOOD — Parents can create free child identification kits for their children at the DNA Lifeprint Child Safety Event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Andrews Cadillac and Land Rover Nashville, 1 Cadillac Drive in Maryland Farms in partnership with United Way of Williamson County. A D.A.R.E. officer with the Brentwood Police Department will be available to answer parents' questions about child safety, the Governor's Books from Birth Foundation will be onsite to sign up children for the free book program, and children can tour a Brentwood Fire Department fire truck. The number of fingerprinting stations at this year's event will be doubled after hundreds of families lined up for hours to have their children fingerprinted last year. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children recommends that parents keep current, easily accessible information about their children, such as fingerprints, digital photographs, DNA samples and medical records. "The big turnout at last year's child safety event showed us that parents are eager to have a child identification kit that would allow them to work quickly with law enforcement if their child were reported missing," said Nelson Andrews, general manager of Andrews Cadillac and Land Rover Nashville. The cost of the DNA Lifeprint kit (dna-lifeprint.com) is underwritten by the dealership at no cost to parents and includes: • A FBI-certified 10-digit Biometric Fingerprint Profile, which is the newest and most advanced technology for obtaining fingerprints. • A DNA Identification Kit that parents use at home to preserve a child's DNA sample, which can be distributed immediately to law enforcement agencies nationwide if a child is reported missing. • A high-resolution, full-color digital photograph of child. • A Child Safety Journal to record vital information that law enforcement officials need immediately after a child is reported missing, such as height, weight, eye and hair color, date of birth and unique physical attributes such as eyeglasses or braces.

Metro schools miss out on federal funds

Money held over concerns about use By JAIME SARRIO • Staff Writer • September 3, 2008 Metro schools went without millions in federal grants last school year because of a misfire during the application process that eventually led to a shakeup of top-ranked administrators. The school district, which is now under partial state control for failing to meet performance benchmarks, was not awarded the money on time because of concerns over how the $2.7 million grant would be spent. At same the time, the district was trying to get permission to spend an additional $800,000 being withheld for similar concerns. As a result, some of the district's lowest performing schools went a full year without additional money for resources to meet state testing benchmarks. Some are still waiting for money in hopes they can use it this school year. Teachers at Maplewood High are waiting on additional training, students are waiting on books to prepare for the ACT college entrance exam and administrators are waiting on funds to promote parent involvement, said Principal Julie Williams. "It's quite a bit of money," she said. "We have a lot of schools in trouble and will continue to be if they keep snatching the money back and forth." Schools and districts are eligible for additional federal money, depending on their demographics and test scores. The money is allocated by the federal government and then distributed to local districts by the state. Trouble in Metro schools' federal grants office began during the 2006-07 school year. The district ended the year with an additional $800,000 because an after-school tutoring program, which was successful at the elementary level, flopped when expanded into middle and high schools. Students didn't take advantage of it, and the money wasn't spent. Instead of repossessing the money, the state chose to let Metro find another use for the funds. But state officials weren't satisfied with the district's choice, a new high-tech education program Metro wasn't even sure it had the computers to support. The state approved a portion of the grant, but it would be a full year before the remainder of the money was spent. During the same period, the district applied for another pot of money to use during the 2007-08 school year. That application, for $2.7 million, was denied because the district wanted to again use much of the money for after-school programs in middle and high school. A small part of the money was eventually approved to pay for school staff. State makes change When the state gained control of the district's finances and staffing in August 2007, the federal program's office was the first to receive a face lift. State leaders promoted Kecia Ray from within the district's federal programs department to assistant superintendent. "This was a symptom of a larger problem they had, and it wasn't just that office. It was the whole central district and how that office interacted with other offices," said Julie McCargar, head of federal programs for the Tennessee Department of Education. "We're much more comfortable with the decision making at the district (now)." This school year, Metro is eligible for $5.4 million in federal grants: $3.3 million in new federal money and $2.1 million left over from last year. This is on top of a $620.7 million operational budget and $62 million in miscellaneous grants the district is expecting to receive. "Considering the fact that some of these schools made adequate yearly progress without the total access to all the resources that were allocated at the district is pretty good," McCargar said. "What that also means is that with additional resources, the schools could make dramatic improvement, and we're hopeful it is going to happen." District officials said they created a grant coordinator position to help with the process and acknowledged that they're taking a different approach to doling out dollars. "We weren't always looking at the best way to serve schools and be proactive," said spokeswoman Olivia Brown. "There were needs to do things in a different way, not only to meet the needs of schools, but to make sure all the reports were done correctly," Brown said. Gina Perez, a parent at H.G. Hill Middle, which is a high-need school, said she was surprised to find out about the delay in funding, but she hopes the district will make good use of the funds when they finally arrived. "I hope if they pump money into the system, they pump it into something different," she said.

The Largest Water Cleanup in Nashville's History

Way to go Nashville, we’re kickin’ butt on trash. Percy Priest needs your help! You can make a huge difference on Saturday, September 13 by participating in the second Nashville Clean Water Project. We have trash bags, gloves and sunscreen for you... we have snacks, hand sanitizer, T-shirts and hats... ...we even have gobs of giveaways and live entertainment. It’s the largest water cleanup in Nashville's history, and, oh yes, it's absolutely free. When: Saturday, September 13; 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at a *new location: Four Corners Marina (for directions, click on our link called "The Skinny"). Please sign up for a three hour block of fun, new friends and help for Mother Earth. Departures to specific lake locations at 8 a.m., 8:30 a.m., and 9 a.m. Our first cleanup in May 2008 was huge -- the largest Nashville has ever seen! Together we gifted more than 1,800 collective work-hours to the environment and filled five (5) commercial rolloff dumpsters from Waste Management, Inc. with trash. Bottles, cans, plastics, coolers, tires, styrofoam, chairs & BBQ grills, full-sized traffic light, office copier, a residential air conditioner, even a mannequin arm. All told, we collected 100 cubic yards of trash – more than an average shopping mall produces in a month! Unfortunately, that’s just 40% of the estimated surface trash at Percy Priest Lake – even Music City's largest water cleanup wasn’t enough. So join us as we continue this very necessary public campaign against litter on Percy Priest Lake's 24 islands and 213 miles of shoreline. Can't attend September 13, but still want to help? Your donation in any amount will help defray the cost of supplies and other expenses. The Nashville Clean Water Project is a 100% volunteer effort and appreciates all support.

Glencliff clinic helps teens, area

By JAIME SARRIO (Tennessean) • September 1, 2008 It's not even lunch at Glencliff High School, but Katandra Majors and crew have already seen five patients. Most want to get a physical so they can play sports this school year. Others are sick and get some medicine before going back to class. One just likes to hang out on her lunch break and ask questions. All of them are Glencliff students and therefore eligible for free treatment at the school's new clinic, which opened this year. It's a program offered in five Metro schools by the Nashville nonprofit United Neighborhood Health Services. But the Glencliff program is a little different because it also serves members of the Woodbine community. After school lets out at 2 p.m., anyone can come in and receive basic medical care from the nurse practitioner and medical assistant. The clinic charges a sliding scale fee, but no one is turned away. People are asked to pay what they can, and the clinic accepts insurance, said Majors. "It's a diverse community," said Majors, a medical assistant at the clinic. "A lot of people don't have ways to get to the doctor, or they don't have insurance or they don't have money for a co-pay." United Neighborhood has been running clinics in Metro schools for 15 years, but most are inside the schools, so it isn't safe to let visitors in and out for care. It also makes it hard to stay open after school hours. Glencliff offers access Glencliff's clinic has a side door that allows for easy access. That was at the request of Principal Tony Majors, no relation to Katandra, who sees the clinic as much more than a way to keep students healthy. "Our vision for the school is to be the central focus of the community," he said. "We can provide education services, career development, training, job placements, and it can be done in an environment that is safe and supportive." The new clinic fits into a bigger plan for Glencliff High School, which along with several Metro schools is launching a health science career academy to better show students what jobs may await them. The school wants to offer emergency medical technician certification before graduation, and plans to open a full cardio and weight room in a few weeks to complement the new aquatic center at the school. "It's real-world application. No longer are we requiring students to learn with just a paper and pencil," Majors said. "We want them to work with, meet with and have discussions with professionals in the field because they have the opportunity to provide insights that teachers can't." Laura English has insurance and said she usually picks daughter Kelly, a senior at Glencliff, up from school when she's sick. But now she feels comfortable sending her to the clinic as an alternative. "There's a lot of lower income people in this community who don't have insurance," she said. "I think it is a good idea." Contact Jaime Sarrio at 726-5964 or jsarrio@tennessean.com.

Metro tackles truancy with help center

Tennessean Students brought into the new Metro Attendance Center have a choice — take a citation, head to court and risk paying more than $100 in fines and fees or accept social services offered by the center and don't miss school for six straight weeks. Most choose the latter. "If kids aren't in school, they are not where they're supposed to be," said Bob Ross, director of family services at the Davidson County Juvenile Court. "What were offering kids here is a deal." Metro's $500,000 attendance center opened Aug. 11, the first day of school, and is the mayor's attempt to trim truancy in city schools. The rules are simple: If you're a student caught loitering by police on a school day, you're the type of person the center is likely to see. Students are taken to the center, which is located at an old police station in East Nashville, and interviewed by school and Juvenile Court personnel. The student is given the choice to accept the citation or enroll in programs. The thinking is that many times, truancy is just a symptom of a bigger problem. In any case, by routing students through an attendance center, where they must interview with a case manager and school officials, the student will have access to more services and an added incentive to stay in school, said Atica Helms, program coordinator. "Our job is to stay positive and stay motivated," she said. "We are able to find out contributing factors to attendance problems and catch them on the front end." 15 kids taken to center If students agree to accept social services from the center, which can include anything from grief counseling to help dealing with substance abuse, they must also agree to not miss school and come back to the center after six to eight weeks. Fifteen students have been taken to the center and all have accepted the diversion plan, Helms said. The center was empty Friday afternoon. Attendance is a top priority for schools — the state requires districts to average 93 percent of students in class or show gains toward that goal under No Child Left Behind requirements. Since poor attendance is an earlier indicator a student will drop out, school officials and the mayor also tout the attendance center as a way to improve the city's 70 percent graduation rate. Ralph Thompson, Metro's assistant superintendent for student services, believes the center, along with other improvements in the school district, will help improve the quality of education in the district. Schools also are keeping better records of student absences, and the attendance office has been reorganized so that case workers are spending more time in schools. "I think this is an excellent opportunity for us to work together to improve truancy," he said. "They help us in doing our job because we have more eyes and ears looking into the situation." Contact Jaime Sarrio at 615-726-5964 or jsarrio@tennessean.com.